Friday, July 21, Janet and I left Gretna at 3:30 AM to arrive in Valparaiso, Indiana at 12:30 (1150 total miles) to celebrate a wedding made 50 years earlier – a wedding of two college friends whom we hobnobbed with a couple of years before their wedding. They were great friends then and have been and are still!
It was good to celebrate with them what “God hath wrought.”
Joining us were other college friends. In those days of undergrad study at John Brown University in northwest Arkansas, there were five guys who came to be best friends. Almost every evening after supper they would engage in a game of Rook often lasting two hours or more then retire to their rooms to hit the books. All graduated near the top of their area of study.
Today the five live in Indiana, Arizona, two in Kansas, and Nebraska. They have retired – one from banking first in lower Manhattan in NYC then for years in Olathe; one from working first as an engineer then from ownership of a photography studio; one from managing paper plants for U.S. Drywall; and one from managing businesses for others then for self.
Most are in pretty good health. Of the girls, Janet is worst off. Of the men, one has a very long family history of heart troubles so he is today a vegan. He commented that when the Dr. says that the diet is not helping, he’ll readily go to McDonalds and get a BigMac. Another has had two cancer surgeries and is on a pill today but doing pretty well. A third has an eye issue.
All are married with NO divorce! Ponder on that!
All are very active in a good local church! All see the demise of the church and have a great desire for Christians to be growing and showing. The recurring topic of talk was Jesus, Christianity, church and morality – from all, including wives! It was a most enriching time.
To sit with five couples who don’t gather very often and actually don’t communicate that much yet to come together and be of one mind about spiritual things, was – amazing!
Over the times of fellowship, the doings and spiritual walk of their children came up. All have pains, petitions and praises. Some of the children are strong in the Lord, some doing well and some are of great concern – even grief. We commensurated and prayed.
About the area! It appears prosperous. However, getting there from Joliet was somewhat an adventure. The “lady” on the phone giving directions told us there was a quicker way than staying on I-80, so we submitted. We drove through all sorts of neighborhoods and hoods. I have little idea where we went yet we made it. Then moving through Valpo after dark was difficult. We typed in the address of the motel and twice ended up arriving at someplace other. On a computer map a street was named Burlington Beach Rd. or Co. Rd. 500 while the street sign name was Laporta Ave. – talk about confusing (and many intersections had NO sign naming the street).
Coming back on I-94 through southern Chicago on a Sunday afternoon, one would think might be easier than a work day and maybe it was, but it was horrible! From a complete stop to 55 to a creep to 55 to a quick stop for miles! And trucks! My! Who in their right mind attempts any travel there?
There was an accident on the I-80 east lanes just outside of Iowa City that had traffic backed up for miles – it was an impressive sight to see. And a reason to pray and give thanks that it wasn’t on our side.
Housing was painfully expensive. We spent $500 for two nights. Indiana Dunes National Park was only 10 miles away and apparently the cause of such outrageous charges.
Church in Michigan City was a Baptist church and the topic was how to live in a culture more and more anti-Christian. The sermon was about God’s call on males. It was good.
a PK Musing 
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